Get Up and Suck it Up
by NightshadeJonathan
Summary: Kaede didn't find Negi in the forest that night. Someone else did. Someone who will make him realize that the world isn't a happy place. Not a happy place at all.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Mahou sensei negima. If I did I would've given Mana and Akira more screen time.

A small child of age ten is alone in a forest. He's panicking, jumping at even the slightest of noises within the darkness. His light brown hair is matted to his young face. Preparing to flee, he scrambles of to stand.

"Negi-sensei?"

A voice questions from within the darkness. Out of the bushes appears a girl, her silhouette displaying her long flowing hair and slim figure. Her eyes are glowing in the dark, frighteningly resembling a predator out on a late night prowl. The boy stares at the eyes in fear before he catches a glimpse of what's in her hands. She's holding a weapon…a weapon that is being pointed right at him.

Tears start to build up at the corners of his eyes. The stress of the past few hours have finally catching up to him. 'First it was needing to deal with being attacked by one of my students. Then it was being restrained by another of my students so the former could suck my blood out cause she's a vampire. Then I was saved only to be lectured. Following that, while trying to fly away I flew right into a tree and lost my staff! And now I have some random psycho with a gun pointed at me!' Curling his knees to his chest he now starts openly sobbing.

Meanwhile the girl is conflicted. What was she supposed to do? 'Negi-sensei was always with Asuna-san or someone who would know what to do with the child. Sure it's only a four years difference, but the only time I'm around others is in class, club activities, and the occasional mission. But then again, Negi-sensei wasn't your average ten year old. Perhaps he can be reasoned with?'

Slowly making her way over to the boy, she slings the gun over her shoulder. Kneeling so that she's at eye level, she starts shaking his shoulder. It works after a while as he slowly brings his face to meet hers. His sobbing seems to be under control, but his eyes still have tears at the sides.

A look of recognition slowly appears on his face. She allows a small smile to grace her face at her small victory. Only to have the breath knocked out of her the next moment. Being sprawled on the ground she notices her young teacher is laying on top of her, arms around her stomach, openly crying into her chest.

'Perhaps he can't be reasoned with…' the girl irritably thinks. 'Let's just hope the movies are right this one time.' Wrapping her arms around his small frame she starts rubbing his back whispering comfort words into his ear.

'What is going on? Why is Negi-sensei crying? Why is he crying alone in a forest?' So many questions, yet none of them would be answered tonight. Looking down at the boy in her arms she finds him fast asleep 'Like a little angel.'

Getting up slowly as to not wake the boy she carries him like a husband would a bride.

'Sleep well now Negi-sensei. Because as soon as you wake up I'm gonna give you hell for burrowing yourself into my breasts earlier.'

Unknown to the sleeping boy and the disgruntled gun wielder a pair of eyes blinks at the scene within the darkness, before a smirk graces the mouth of the eyes. They wouldn't know about it, and even if they noticed and looked they would think it was their imagination. For the second after the smirk appeared, so did the being.

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Dreams can be a hope or belief, or an imaginary situation going on in one's brain. But sometimes, sometimes dreams can become a nightmare, and sometimes, someone can get trapped in one and unable to find their way out. And sometimes, the nightmares could actually be something that occurred in the past.

In Negi's case, his nightmare is when he was being chased by a blonde haired girl wearing a dark dress. In his dream he can't escape her though. Every where he turns, he sees bodies of his students, either with their life sucked out of them, or a slave to the vampire chasing him.

A girl with a green eye and a blue eye lies in a pool of her own blood. The bells that adorn her orange hair no longer make a pleasant ring whenever she's nearby. Instead, the bells ring with a sadness and sorrow, similar to those one would hear at a funeral.

"Asuna…No…"

A girl with lifeless brown eyes stalks towards him like a zombie. Her brown hair flails behind her, like tentacles of a demon ready to tighten around and constrict him.

"Konoka-san…"

And finally, he feels the arms of his green haired student holding onto him, as the blonde haired vampire closes in on him. The blonde haired girls eyes are blood red, similar to the thing she wants out of him the most. Her grin like a cat which has captured her prey lifts to reveal to pointy canines. The mouth gets closer and closer to his neck, before finally piercing the skin.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

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Waking up the sounds of a screaming 10 year old is not something Mana Tatsumiya likes to have first thing in the morning. Not at all, her mornings consisted of a nice bath, followed by a classic Japanese meal of miso soup and rice. Following that she would A.) clean her guns or B.) do unfinished homework, and then leave the shrine. Nowhere in her schedule did it say anything about waking up beside some brat. Her mind was currently having a battle with itself. The logical side was saying 'All I'd have to do is wake him up to shut him up.' The morning side was telling her 'All it would take is one bullet between the eyes, and then all I'd have to do is hide the body…' In the end, the logical side won.

Dragging herself up from her sleeping bag she towered over the sleeping boy that was using some of her clothes as a makeshift bed in the corner of her tent. Closing her eyes calmly, she lifts up her leg. So she can send it down on his stomach right after.

Watching him clutch his stomach and writhing on the ground in pain, two thoughts strike her. 'Maybe that wasn't the nicest way to wake him up… he doesn't look so good…maybe I should've waited until he was awake to hit him…'

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Yeah…Really need some tips on how to write a good story… Anyways I posted this on this one site I found before I did it on fanfiction. Fanfiction got a few extra lines at the end, but that's about it.


	2. Chapter 2

"T-T-T-Tatsumiya-san! What was that for?"

"That…Negi-_sensei_ is for waking me up with your whining."

Looking up at his past savior and present torturer, the boy can't help but be awed by the grey, gold, black, and blue aura she gives out. As a mage it's almost second nature to be able to sense a person's aura.

Most of the girls in the school emit a near constant Yellow aura indicating their happiness, White for their optimism, and some had some Red for anger flare up from time to time, Pink was almost constant in his class, for love or infatuation. Gold could be found in many people, their pride for who and what they are. But Mana's blue aura, she's constantly being bothered by something. Her black aura, her pessimism, her gold aura, proud of what she is, but all of that is underneath her Grey aura. It was an aura that he has never been told about before back in Wales.

"So sensei, what were you doing in the forest all by yourself? Crying your eyes out no less?" Looking into her eyes, Negi noticed that Mana was giving him, a glare. But it wasn't a normal 'I-Hate-You' glare.

Female look #12: The analyze glare. This glare is used by females when they are trying to find out every little detail about you from how you act, what you say, and what you do. This technique is usually used when by females that believes another female has gotten a hold of their territory, or used by older females when they believe their offspring/younger siblings did something bad. It also served the purpose of being downright intimidating, especially when given by a girl that can, and _will_ beat you up. (Authors note: I know this look well… Given to me a lot by my big sisters, usually after I came home late…)

Thinking of his own survival, the young male did what anyone that was entirely terrified would do. Lie…lie like there was no tomorrow.

"Well you see T-T-Tatsumiya-san, I was out f-f-for a midnight st-st-stroll. I-I-I was s-so l-l-lost i-i-in m-m-my th-thoughts I-I-I got l-l-lost and s-s-scared."

"I see…" Nodding her head in a sage like way, with the hand over her stomach and her other hand on her chin with her eyes closed too. The young teacher couldn't believe his luck, someone as perceptive as this sharp shooter couldn't see through his lie!

"You believe me?"

"I believe you're full of shit. I also believe you suck at lying and need an even better story." Changing the neutral expression on her face to that of a fox like grin she turns her head in Negi's direction.

"So Negi-_sensei_, are you gonna tell me the truth? Or am I gonna have to give you a brand _new_ reason to cry?"

"I'm very sorry Tatsumiya-san, but I can't tell you…"

Observing the little boy in front of her for a minute, she realizes some things that dawned on her. Her teacher was a Magi; if it involved something in the magical realm he wasn't at liberty to speak it. However, if it had to do with the magic realm, it could also become something that involved her as well. The problem would be getting him to admit he was a Magi.

"So I heard you sleep with Asuna-san every night. Is she good in bed?" If possible her grin gets even bigger.

"W-w-what? Asuna and I aren't like that."

"Oh?" Finally opening her eyes she observes his new reactions without trying to seem intimidating. "Then just what _is _your relationship with Asuna?"

"She's a friend! A student! She's kind of like a big sis-"

"A potential Ministra Magi too ne?"

"Yes! A potential Ministra magi-huh?!" Mana's calculating mind was quick at figuring out a way for him to confess. An old age technique used to gain information, say something that throws the other entirely off guard and/or makes them embarrassed, and then throw the real question out. He took the bait and fell into the trap. Just like that old English saying went; he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Chuckling to herself for her success she walks out of the tent and goes to look at the view. The morning sun was peaking out to the right, ready to start a new day, while the left side was still covered in darkness. Morning's twilight, the evening and morning twilight were great too watch. Too bad morning twilight was such a pain to wake up to. Not even looking behind her she asks Negi a question.

"Negi, when you look out there, what do you see?" She asks with a calm serene smile on her tanned skinned face.

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Negi's mind was in turmoil. He just admitted to thinking of Asuna-san as a potential Ministra Magi, which means he could've just admitted to being a Mage at the same time. He's so going to be turned into an ermine or some other creature when she tells everyone! But how did Tatsumiya-san even know of Ministra Magi's in the first place?

Following her outside he sees her standing at the edge of the cliff the tent was set up at. Watching how the wind blew her hair to the side, hands in the jeans she was wearing, he heard the question.

"Negi-sensei, when you look out there, what do you see?"

"Well, I see trees, clouds, the sky, and the school building." It was an answer that a little child would have come up with. When in trouble, try and make the person who can make your life even more troublesome happy. And that's what he was doing, she was laughing. Her laughter meant she was happy, because her laughter didn't sound like Evangeline's when she wanted him last night…

"No little boy… while those things are out there, I want you to look beyond that which is hidden." Noting the change in her voice Negi couldn't help but be attentive. Instead of the meanie she was this morning, or the indifferent person at school, or the caring girl from last night, she looked like someone who had just fought a war. "Negi, out there, there is a light side and a dark side. You were taught this in your magic school right? Good evil, and black and white, but in between them, there is a grey area."

The grey area…much like the aura she was covered in.

"They probably didn't teach you this in school ne? That grey area is important; sometimes a good person will do something bad for the greater good. Sometimes a bad person will do something that may seem nice to create something bad in the process."

"Tatsumiya-san, why would a good person do something bad for something good?" What did she mean good people would do something bad for something good? If the person was good he wouldn't do anything bad right?

"Say…are lies bad?"

"Of course they are!"

"Tell me little boy, are you a good person?"

Ever since he was little Negi has always been trying to help people, make people happy. Ever since he was small, Negi has been raised to try and be the perfect English Gentleman. So he answered truthfully.

"Of course I am! I'm a perfect English gentleman."

"Then why did you lie? Surely as an English gentleman you shouldn't lie to a female right?"

"Because you shouldn't be involved in this."

After a couple of moments of silence, Mana disappears inside the tent. Only to appear a few minutes after holding two guns, one in each hand, and a grin on her face that reminded him of Evangeline's…

"W-w-w-what are you going to d-d-d-do with t-t-t-those T-T-T-Tatsumiya-san?"

Pointing both of her guns at Negi, her grin reminds him of the cat that ate the canary.

"You… little boy, are going to learn a lesson."

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Authors notes: A pretty basic lesson this chapter. I'm pretty sure everyone who reads this would have lied in their life at some point. But if you are one of those very few and very rare ones that haven't lied…well…good for you…

How did you get through life without lying?

Anyways back on topic, yeah I know, second chapter is filla, not something I'm proud of, but I had to write something right? Anyways if any of you have any information on Mana's character, like attitude and stuff can you tell me? Cause right now I'm more or less shoving in a bunch of aspects of females I know into her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Get Up And Suck It Up**  
Part III

Negi Springfield, child genius, magi-in-training, and teacher, is at the moment undergoing training. Sweat is pouring down his forehead, whether it is from how harsh the regime is, or nervousness, one cannot tell. He is currently leaning against a tree, peaking around for his target. His objective is simple; retrieve the target without getting hit.

'I can do this!' he thinks to himself. And how can he not? His objective? A simple lunch box, that's right in the middle of the clearing. "Now all I have to do is sneak over there-'

These are his thoughts before getting three paintballs in the face.

"HAHA! Negi-sensei, I think it should be fair to warn you; that although you're small; you're still pretty easy to find if you hide in the open like that. HAHA!"

Of course when up against someone like Mana Tatsumiya, making it somewhere without getting sniped is virtually impossible.

"But Captain Tatsumiya! I am hiding!" Of course, almost all people think that being behind something will block a person from view.

"No you're not! If you were hiding it would be almost impossible to find you from anywhere!" It takes someone with experience to know, a good hiding place hides you from any angle.

Growling in frustration the boy tries to move to a better location, only to trip on something and get shot twice more in the back.

"Be careful where you tread Negi-sensei! You never know what may be lying in wait." You could almost feel the smile of the gun girl in her voice through the radio. The singsong style of the girl starts to frustrate the teacher. It reminds the young boy of times in the village, where everyone would tell him to forget his dream of ever meeting his father again. 'The village…' Memories of those, creatures, monsters, going around his old hometown, destroying everything, all those people, gone, yet forever there now, like a mockery of what he once had, and what he once caused. All because of that stupid wish, that stupid belief of his that he held onto ever since his sister told him.

"HEY! No feeling sad!" Is all the boy hears before feeling many paint filled balls in the form of a curve on his back.

"But Captain, it just seems so hopeless, you move faster than me, and seem to know where ever I am. It's almost like you're everywhere, but no where at the same time." Tears start to form at the corner of his eyes as he starts to clench the grass.

From out of the forest the training instructor herself prowls towards the young boy. But instead of adopting the look of a predator that she usually is, she adopts the look of a parent or older sibling watching their own blood crying over something they don't know how to deal with. Most of the problems she's ever had to deal with; they could be solved easily, usually by shooting em, glaring at em, some kind of blackmailing em, and on the very rare occasion, using some high grade explosives on em. Shooting him obviously hadn't helped earlier, and glaring would just be ignored seeing as how he's looking at the ground, and blackmailing a child? Not something befitting of someone of her caliber. Blowing him up? She can already imagine the headache of explaining to the Dean how Negi had to come back in pieces.

'Perhaps using something from that one anime might help.' Picking the boy up, putting one of her hands behind his head, and making their foreheads touch, she begins to speak. "Negi-sensei, even though some things may seem hopeless, as long as you're alive there is always hope. If you seem to think, for even a moment, that there is no hope, you've already given up at that point. Ne?" Their eyes meet, Negi's tears have stopped flowing, and instead of pain, all she can see in them now is adoration, respect. Those looks she's used to, but not from a child who's not just admiring her for how well she can shoot.

"Now c'mon, you don't want Mr. Happy Face to feel sad do you? You wouldn't like him when he's sad." Her eyes are suddenly squinted shut, much like another student from his class.

"Who's Mr. Happy Face?"

In response the gunslinger forces the jacket the mage was wearing and turns it around so the back part is facing him. Sure enough, there in bright yellow paint, is a happy face splattered on his jacket. "See Negi-sensei? Mr. Happy Face!"

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"Hey Captain?" Negi asks while looking at his student sitting across from him. The fire making her eyes appear to glow in the night.

Looking up from the piece of deer meat in her hand she looks towards the young male. "Hmmm?"

"Can I ask you something personal?"

Swallowing the food in her mouth, she offers a coy smile to the boy. "Even if I said no, you would still be wondering it wouldn't you?" Seeing a slight nod from the boy, she continues speaking. "Another piece of advise, just say someone's name but make it sound like a question. If they acknowledge you without saying shut up or something like that, that means it's a go ahead for a question. 'Sides, better to have asked and not get an answer, than to not ask and wonder if you could have got it."

"Err, I suppose. But…I was just wondering, how come in class you're always quiet? It's almost as if you're detached from reality. Yet right now, at this moment, it's like you're a completely different person from what you're usually like."

"HAHAHAHA! Tell you what Negi-sensei, when you finally have that one figured out, you'd have graduated stage 1 of the Tatsumiya Boot Camp! HAHAHA!" You could almost feel the disappointment rolling of the boy in waves, much like the cold breeze off of a mountain.

"Now you tell me, Negi-sensei what you've learned today."

"Well…" Hiding behind a tree and getting hit. "Thinking about things for too long leaves you open, and know your surroundings." Mocking laughter. "Frustrate your opponent. Keep them moving in your sights." Tripping on something that shouldn't be there. "Set traps for your opponent. Lure them to that location." Getting shot repeatedly in the back when he was down. "When they're vulnerable be vicious in your attacks." Looking up from his musings he can see his temporary mentor nodding her head in satisfaction.

"All very good lessons. All very IMPORTANT lessons. But you're forgetting the most important lesson of all!" Snapping her eyes open with the last declaration she stares straight into Negi's.

"What's that Captain Tatsumiya?"

Growing an even bigger smirk, she tells him the most meaningful lesson of today's training.

"Don't piss off Mr. Happy Face."

With a heavy sigh he stands up. Wishing his student goodnight, Negi makes his way towards the tent where he dozes off in a peaceful sleep. At least as peaceful as he can manage when his dream involves many ways of trapping Evangeline and beating her.

Mana stares into the fire, as if the dancing flames would give her a message just like how she learned in the shrine. Yet, the only thing she can see is a past life of working in various other countries. But there's one that's really imprinted upon her mind. She sees a young boy, running away from a crowd of demons and crying all the while. She remembers vividly, trying to take out some of the demons from afar with a sniper rifle, providing covering fire for the child. Yet most of her rounds proving useless on the crowd of underworld residents.

"Yes Negi-sensei, don't do anything to make Mr. Happy Face anything but happy. Because, Negi-kun, Mr. Happy Face, is the only trace of humanity I have left…" Holding a sleeping younger Negi in her arms she watches over him, waiting for help away from the burning village. A tear stained face smiling, resting against her, and bathing in her caring. 'I may not be able to help you directly against Evangeline. But after your pass her test, no person, no creature, will be able to stop me from protecting you. I promise. Even though I know you're going to have to stand on your own, I will prepare you for what's to come. This I swear.'

"OI! Quit giggling in your sleep!" And in the night, the birds resting in the trees fly away from the sounds of screaming.

"God bless paintballs."

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Authors Note: Yay! An update…you know, I wrote this on the spare computer I had rather than the one that had the original chapter 3 on it. But I think this one is a lot better than the one I had on my other computron. I actually got back from PEI a few days ago, and hanging out with my 3 female cousins (4th was missing) I realized once more how odd girls can be. And while there I started thinking about my story, and then I just started blending all 3 of their personalities together to make Mana! She's got the first sis' seriousness, and the "even though I may not act it I care" attitude, second sis' caring personality and need to watch out for us, and third sis' playful and teasing personality. The cruelty I got from one of my sisters. …Slave driver… .


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